Benefits to dual frequency transducers?

[Fisher50]

I have been looking at Lowrance's X102C.  They have for $50 more, a dual frequency model.  Both 50 and 200 whatever they are calibrated in.  Sounds like the 50 would be best in deep water.  Any advantages to me in my shallow lake.  I'm seldom over 15 feet deep?  Might, on occasion, go Laker fishing in another lake that would often be over 100' deep.  Would there be a benefit?

[rendo]

 save your money. dual frequency units are better served for deeper lakes than Houighton. What will help is getting the widest cone angle transducer than you can get, which I believe for the higher freq depthfinder is 20 degrees.

[Fisher50]

Just put the order into Cabela's for the X102C.  It's on backorder.   I've called several outlets and none have one in stock.  Free shiiipping, when they get it.  Said it will be shipped in a week. 

[Fisher50]

Lowrance are telling me they have "up to 60degrees of fishfinding ability."  Somehow the 'ducer sends out two signals.  A narrow bottom finding signal and a wider fish finding beam.  Together, they tell you what is under the boat.  The narrow beam gets a good lock on the botom.  The wide beam gets a fix on fish under the boat.  Hummingbird has the same, and they have a picture of it in the catalogs.  Cabela's shows a good representation of it.   I just hope I can get one.  No one seems to have one for me.  Cabela's said they would ship next week.  I'm moving up from a pretty old Eagle Ultra II plus. 

[troutman]

I like a 20-degree cone. If you are fishing in shallow water most of the time the 20 is too big. A 12-degree will be better. A 60-degree would be nice fishing in deep water 500’ or more. You could see the suspended fish down to 150’. Tracking down rigger balls with a depth finder is a waste of time. Your fish finder will not tell you how deep you are running your lures with the ball. If I troll at 1.5 and I have out 85’ of downrigger cable I’m not fishing 85’ my ball is running at 77’ if I go faster the depth changes. Your depth finder will tell you, you are at 85’ I would like to see somebody develop a fish finder with a side finder were you can see the fish out to 200’ and the unit will be able to tell you how deep the fish are. This kind of technology would be great for the planner board guys that fish lake Erie for walleye. You could see the fish suspended down 20’ or more. I have a bottomline finder with side finder now, but it only shows fish on the surface down to 5’.

[trapperdirk]

I don't quite get what your saying here Troutman . Why would a smaller cone area be better in shallow water than in deeper water .? Doesn't make sense bud . A 20 degree cone only shows you an area of 3 and a half feet at 10ft and so a 12 degree would be just over half of that . If anything a smaller cone should be better in deeper water because your closer to your target when it shows on the screen . A huge cone in deep water would cover a huge area and that fish would be further away . Most would prefer I'm sure, a larger cone shallow and smaller cone in deep because the cone size window increases as you go deeper anyways and you can define your target better the more you can hone in on it  .

                             TD

[troutman]

With a 20 degree in shallow water you will have a wider beam then a 12-degree. My Maine concern is bottom depth not marking fish. A 12-degree will give me a better bottom reading. When I’m ice fishing I use my 9-degree more then my 20-degree in shallow water. When I see a fish its time to set the hook because I know he is right there. When boat fishing in shallow water you are going to push the fish off to the side because of the clearer water we have today. When fishing deep water 200 or more the fish are going to be suspended. A wide cone will give you a bigger picture then a narrow beam. In very deep water a narrow beam will give you a better picture of the bottom. My main concern out in very deep water is being able to mark fish suspended not on the bottom. Who cares what’s on the bottom in 500’ I’m only concern about the upper 150’. You have to make the decision what cone you want. I know what’s best for me with the type of fishing I’m doing.

[Fisher50]

I have heard about tracking downrigger balls with the 50 MHz.  This boat is not set for downriggers.  My 102C has been mailed.  I should get it this week, and get it installed Saturday Morning.  Houghton Lake walleye better be on the lookout for my Sylvan.  I've always felt the wider cone angles are best for shallow water.  My prior unit had a 20 degree cone, as does this one.  Looking forward to seeing this one on the water. 

[LoneStar]

Troutman,
Your wishes have been granted  , Check out the new Humminbird with sidefinder technology,
http://www.humminbird.com/generic2.asp?ID=514
it really looks like a sweeeeeeeeet unit and as soon as I hit the lottery I just might try one out    !
I am still using an old Eagle 9500Z with seperate 50 and 192 transducers, loran c is not hooked up causse it never did pick up here in Pa. only when up on Ontario!

LoneStar

I like a 20-degree cone. If you are fishing in shallow water most of the time the 20 is too big. A 12-degree will be better. A 60-degree would be nice fishing in deep water 500’ or more. You could see the suspended fish down to 150’. Tracking down rigger balls with a depth finder is a waste of time. Your fish finder will not tell you how deep you are running your lures with the ball. If I troll at 1.5 and I have out 85’ of downrigger cable I’m not fishing 85’ my ball is running at 77’ if I go faster the depth changes. Your depth finder will tell you, you are at 85’ I would like to see somebody develop a fish finder with a side finder were you can see the fish out to 200’ and the unit will be able to tell you how deep the fish are. This kind of technology would be great for the planner board guys that fish lake Erie for walleye. You could see the fish suspended down 20’ or more. I have a bottomline finder with side finder now, but it only shows fish on the surface down to 5’.